DOHA, Qatar (AP) — International mediators held a new round of talks Thursday aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt met with an Israeli delegation in Qatar as the Palestinian death toll from the 10-month war climbed past 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities. Hamas, which did not participate directly, accuses Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had U.S. and international support, and to which Hamas had agreed in principle.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby called the talks an important step and said they’re expected to run into Friday. He said a lot of work remains, given the complexity of an agreement and that negotiators were focusing on its implementation.
A cease-fire in Gaza would likely calm regional tensions. Diplomats hope it would persuade Iran and Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group to hold off on retaliating for the killings of a top Hezbollah commander in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut and of Hamas’ top political leader in a Tehran explosion.
Kirby warned Iran has made preparations and could attack soon without warning — and that its rhetoric should be taken seriously.
The mediators have spent months trying to hammer out a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release scores of hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war in exchange for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Both sides have agreed in principle to the plan, which President Joe Biden announced on May 31. But Hamas has proposed “amendments” and Israel has suggested “clarifications,” leading each side to accuse the other of making new demands it cannot accept.
Gaps remain even after months of talks
Hamas has rejected Israel’s latest demands, which include a lasting military presence along the border with Egypt and a line bisecting Gaza where it would search Palestinians returning to their homes to root out militants. Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press the group is only interested in discussing the implementation of Biden’s proposal and not in further negotiations over its content.
A Palestinian official who closely follows the negotiations said Hamas would not take part in Thursday’s talks but that its senior officials, who…
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